1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to score keeping devices for athletic contests and, more particularly, is concerned with a device for keeping and displaying the total status of a tennis match in terms of the sets score and games score of the current set.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When competitive amateur tennis matches are being played, the players need a convenient way of posting the score. This is especially true during tournament matches or team play where spectators, captains and coaches want to know the score but cannot question the players without disrupting the match.
The most commonly used technique of posting the score is referred to as a flip card method of posting the score. In this technique, a T-bar score posting unit having a T-bar is mounted by its vertical member on one of the net posts and a pair of sets of numbered flip cards are supported from a pair of opposite top cross members of the T-bar. Each flip card has a pair of small through-holes defined therethrough adjacent to the top edge of the card. Metal rings are extended through these holes and disposed over the top cross members so as to support the sets of flip cards below the respective cross members of the T-bar. The numbers are printed in sequence on both front and back sides of the flip cards. The cards must be flipped over until the correct numbers are exposed to post the score.
This flip card method of posting the score has several disadvantages which make it less than an optimum technique for informing spectators, captains and coaches of the scoring progress of the match. First, the flip cards and rings fall off the top cross members of the T-bar quite easily. Second, the projecting cross bars are hazardous to the players. Third, the flip cards are tedious to use. The user has to lift each card to see if the number being sought is displayed on the opposite side of the current number being displayed. This creates considerable fumbling around to find and post the correct score. Fourth, the T-bar score posting unit will rotate from the desired position on a windy day. Fifth, the flip cards typically do not display the sets score. Sixth, the T-bar score posting unit is quite fragile and brittle and frequently break. Seventh, this unit cannot be used to post the score of a 10-game pro-set.
Various other score keeping devices have been proposed in the prior patent art. Representative of the prior art devices are the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. to Saunders (3,144,252), Wilson (3,220,127), Thater (4,831,956) and Pettis (5,025,748), U.S. Des. Nos. to Green (205,077) and Harris et al (300,435), a U.K design patent to Wilkinson et al (2,966), a U.K. patent application to Nightingale (2,053,003) and a German patent to Peter (3,925,932). However, none of the scope keeping devices of the above-cited patents appear to provide an effective solution to the above-described disadvantages of the current T-bar score posting unit.
Consequently, a need still exists for improvement in techniques for keeping and displaying the total status of a tennis match in terms of the sets score and games score of the current set.